Tag Archives: california

A message & invitation from Yolo Supervisor Oscar Villegas

West Sacramento’s OSCAR VILLEGAS (right) took the oath of office again last week. Administering the oath were his children, Vincent and Elena(courtesy photo)

From Oscar VillegasYolo County Supervisor, District 1

Thank you for allowing me to serve as your Yolo County Supervisor, District 1, representing West Sacramento and Clarksburg. In February 2014, I was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown, to serve on the Yolo County Board of Supervisors in the seat vacated by the legendary Mike McGowan of which he held for nearly 20 years. In June 2014, I was elected by the voters to retain this seat. On January 5, 2015, it was a personal special moment to take the oath of office administered by our children, Elena and Vincent.

After thoroughly enjoying the honor and privilege of serving on the West Sacramento City Council for nearly 14 years, I have found it equally exciting and rewarding to have the opportunity to represent District 1 on the Yolo Board for the past 10 months.

I look forward to a new productive new year in 2015 by working with my colleagues on the Board to ensure that we continue to provide thoughtful stewardship over the many challenges ahead during our term of governance. It is my intent to facilitate efforts to address the following: restore our county reserves; seek avenues to prudently restore some of our basic services that were cut during the economic downturn; work collaboratively and productively with our local, state and federal stakeholders on flood protection; finalize the integration of health and human services to provide a better system of safety net services for our residents; preserve the viability of Yolo agriculture while promoting the emerging Farm-to-Fork movement and expand our agricultural processing opportunities; continue to take bold and innovative steps to reduce the likelihood of homelessness, and to ensure that our community remain safe as we implement various aspects of the state’s realignment of offenders.

To responsibly address these issues, I humbly extend an invitation to residents of District 1 to assist by serving on various boards and commissions which serve as advisory to me and the Board. It is critical that the residents have an opportunity to participate and provide input on those issues that impact our community. As such, I would ask that you consider applying to serve on a board or commission where you believe you can make a positive contribution through your professional or life experience. There are many topic areas ranging from aging, children services, both health and mental health services, etc.

West Sac looks to public art to help unify Sac/West Sac streetcar line

NEWS-LEDGER — JAN 14, 2014 —

The West Sacramento City Council voted last month to work with regional partners to apply for a public arts grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) . The “Our Town” grant of up to $200,000 would focus on bringing art pieces to the city’s Washington neighborhood and the future streetcar route connecting Sacramento and West Sacramento.

Also involved in the art planning project are the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, the City of Sacramento and Crocker Arts Museum.

“The ‘Our Town’ proposal envisions art installations as a place-making feature of the planned streetcar route and way-finding for bicyclists and pedestrians moving between West Sacramento’s waterfront neighborhoods and civic center and Sacramento’s railyards, capitol and museums,” said a staff report. “The cities would also use the funds to select one artist that will create two pieces which will engage, interact or connect with each other to be installed in each side of the river respectively. Another installation will be analyzed within the Washington District depending on the final grant award amount and budget.”

The plan being proposed to the NEA calls first for a consultant to work with the public and create a “curatorial vision” for the Washington district and streetcar area. No actual art pieces have yet been picked.

The city has already received a $400,000 grant for art from the state parks department, for art at the corner of Riverwalk and Tower Bridge Gateway, with a $200,000 local match. These funds will be used as the “local match” needed for the proposed NEA grant.

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Don’t buy that new toy – borrow it

Six-year-old Sasha Stanchits checks out the foosball toy with the West Sacramento Toy Library program coordinator, library assistant Carly Brotherton.(Photos by Al Zagofsky)

FROM THE NEWS-LEDGER — JAN 21, 2014 —

By Al ZagofskyCorrespondent

Have you ever had your child pull your sleeve, cry and beg that they need the latest and greatest toy that they saw on television or at their friends’ home?

And then, the next day you spend big bucks for the toy, they love it—they love you, and the following day it’s pushed aside, perhaps never to be played with again, and relegated to the junk pile. There is a solution—the West Sacramento Toy Library at the Turner Community Library.

“We have toys for kids of all ages,” explained program coordinator, library assistant Carly Brotherton. “The program focuses mostly on ages from newborn to 6 years old. We have puzzles, blocks, baby dolls, musical instruments, balls, gloves and even a T-ball set.”

The West Sacramento Toy Library is a membership organization, and is open on Tuesdays from noon to 2 pm, and on Wednesdays from 4 pm to 6 pm. Membership is $15 per year and entitles members to take out up to five toys at a time for three weeks. Toys can be returned to the library circulation desk any time the library is open.

“Members can swap out toys, so they are constantly able to get fresh toys to take home,” Carlie said. “When they get tired of them, they bring them back, and go home with new toys.”

“The most popular toys are ones that make noise,” She explained. “This includes the big ambulance, various musical instruments, and the keyboard. The parents enjoy the advantage of having the toys returned after three weeks—often sooner.”

After they are returned, toys are cleaned by a volunteer before they are made available for the next person to check out. If a toy is returned broken, sometimes a volunteer can repair it, otherwise the borrower is asked to replace the damaged toy with one of a similar value.

Although the Toy Library is housed at the Turner Community Library, the five-year-old program is operated by Child Care Services of Davis. For many years, the Toy Library was housed in the West Sacramento City Hall. The Toy Library currently has 50 members. They are always seeking new members and clean toys in good condition.

“The Toy Library helps cut costs for parents, and saves them the time and trouble of having to go out and buy a lot of toys,” Carly noted. “We get donations from our community, and that helps keep the supply fresh. Patrons are not seeing the same toys over and over again.”

The Toy Library is located at the Arthur F. Turner Community Library, 1212 Merkley Avenue in West Sacramento., telephone number: (916) 375-6465.

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Copyright News-Ledger 2015

Cheap books, movies & music: winter sale from Friends of Library

FROM THE NEWS-LEDGER —

The West Sacramento Friends of the Library invite you to browse their collection of books, CDs and movies for sale on the weekend of Jan. 24-25 at the Arthur F. Turner Branch Library, 1212 Merkley Avenue.

Saturday’s hours will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays will be 10-3. Hardbacks will go for $1, paperbacks for 50 cents, children’s books for 10-25 cents, with special priced books, CDs and movies as well. On Sunday, items will go for $3 per bagful. For information or to volunteer, call 375-6465, ext. 4, or email wsfol99@yahoo.com.